Good Reads

BOOKSTORES

Little Shop of Stories. Decatur (Atlanta’s safer, quieter, beer- and book-loving little sister) is home to this magical children’s bookstore. Beyond its wonderfully curated collection of titles, the Little Shop is a big supporter of the Decatur Book Festival and other literary happenings. 

Book Nook. Located in a strip mall near Emory, this used bookstore is the perfect place to get lost on a rainy Saturday afternoon. I even know of a love story that began here. 

A Cappella Books. Located in the wild and weird Little Five Points, A Cappella is known for its politically charged, progressive and counter-culture books, including a large selection of Beat literature. It also hosts readings from time to time. 

LIBRARIES

Robert W. Woodruff Library. Emory’s main library is a ten-story playground of reading spaces and books, constantly buzzing with undergrad energy. I love getting lost in the stacks, finding sanctuary in the Matheson Reading Room—with marble floors and a strict no-talking policy, it is almost literally as silent as a tomb—and exploring the special collections on the tenth floor, where a wraparound balcony gives a bird’s eye view of the surrounding area. 

Central Library. The headquarters for Atlanta’s library system, this building was opened by its first African-American director and designed by a Bauhaus architect. The fifth floor houses a genealogy collection as well as an exhibit on Gone With the Wind author Margaret Mitchell.  

Decatur Library. Beyond its claim to fame as the preferred parking lot for Decatur bar-hoppers, this downtown library plays host to frequent readings and an excellent used book sale.  

READINGS & CONFERENCES

Decatur Book Festival. The largest independent book festival in the country takes over downtown Decatur every Labor Day Weekend. Streets are blocked off as thousands arrive for readings, signings, discussions, live music, parades and workshops.  

Georgia Center for the Book. They host weekly readings from authors both local and notable. 

Write Club. Not your typical reading series, Write Club occurs monthly at a local independent theater and pits writers against one another in a storytelling faceoff that is about as polite as a wrestling match. Drinking and heckling encouraged. 

Emory’s Creative Writing Series. Catch readings from notable staff like Salman Rushdie and poet laureate Natasha Tretheway, plus visiting authors, which in the past have included Margaret Atwood, Barbara Kingsolver and Alice Walker. 

OTHER FINDS

Margaret Mitchell House. Located right on Peachtree Street near the High Museum of Art, the historic home of the Gone With the Wind author offers daily tours. 

The Wren’s Nest. The Victorian West End home of Br’er Rabbit author Joel Chandler Harris is now a venue for storytelling performances and offers tours Tuesdays through Saturdays. 

Oakland Cemetery. A cemetery may seem like a strange place to kill time, but Oakland is an active public park, alive with history. Take a guided tour through the beautiful gardens and visit the final resting place of notable resident Margaret Mitchell.

Andalusia. About an hour and a half southeast of Atlanta lies the farm where sublime short-story author Flannery O’Connor wrote and lived until her death at age 39. It is open for self-guided tours and maintains a peafowl aviary, in honor of O’Connor’s favorite pastime. 

Good Eats

COFFEE SHOPS

Octane Grant Park. This is by far my favorite place in the city to grab a cup of coffee, due to its perfect pours and sunny indoor seating. 

The Bakery at Cakes & Ale. Serving up Counter Culture coffee (one of the best roasters in the country), Cakes & Ale is a delicious and happy place to grab Saturday breakfast and skip the brunch lines.  

Dancing Goats. Located in the recently restored Ponce City Market (an enormous old department store that sits square in the center of town), Dancing Goats is a great place to bring kids or to explore on your own. 

A PROPER MEAL

Empire State South. Top Chef judge and two-time James Beard award-winner Hugh Acheson hails from Canada but makes an excellent Southerner. He even gained some press a while back for telling off Paula Deen when it came to the real heritage of Southern cooking: farm-fresh okra, Vidalia onions and even kimchi, he says—but not butter. Try his surprising takes on Southern staples at this divine Midtown eatery. (Must-order: The pimiento cheese and bacon jam jar.) If you don’t have dinner in the budget, stop by for Sunday brunch or evening cocktails and bocce ball. 

The Optimist. Restaurant tycoon Ford Fry’s gorgeous new seafood spot appeared in nearly every reputable best-of list last year, from Bon Appétit’s to Garden & Gun’s. If you didn’t think to make reservations eight weeks in advance, snag a seat at the oyster bar, created by interior designer Smith Hanes to feel like a Savannah beach house. Don’t eat seafood anywhere else in Atlanta. Do eat it here.  

Star Provisions. Anne Quatrano’s lunch spot is so much more than that; it’s also an ice creamery, coffee bar, cheesemonger, butcher shop, bakery and home good supplier. It’s a relic from the old world in the middle of Atlanta’s burgeoning new shopping, design and restaurant district called the Westside. Order a sandwich at the counter and browse the shop before taking a seat at one of the large picnic tables. 

Victory Sandwich Bar. Located in downtown Decatur, Victory is the best spot around for cheap eats and great cocktails. Order a couple of sandwiches (they’re half-sized at $4 each) and, if it’s warm, sit outside in the garden. 

Buford Highway. Buford Highway is not a restaurant but a road, running from just north of Midtown into the suburbs, and overflowing with restaurants and markets from Atlanta’s diverse immigrant population. Signs for Mexican, Cuban, Vietnamese, Indian, Ethiopian and Chinese food crop up side by side. I recommend getting on the highway and letting your appetite lead the way. 

TREATS

Jeni’s Ice Cream. A new addition to Atlanta, Jeni’s dynamite craft ice cream originated in Ohio before traveling to Nashville and now gracing us with its presence on Atlanta’s Westside.   

Alon’s Bakery & Market. A European-style market, Alon’s offers everything from prepared gourmet dinner dishes to breakfast pastries, mini cakes and coffee. Visit the North Highland location and enjoy people-watching from a sidewalk table as you break into your crème brûlée. 

Little Tart Bakeshop. Located inside Octane Grant Park, Little Tart gives complex flavor to simple pastries by using top-quality local, seasonal ingredients. I recommend the savory bread pudding or ham and cheese puff for maximum mouth explosion.